CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Your Stamford/Clarksburg Community Watch Group is looking for volunteers.

We need your help. We can't do this with out you!

Become a volunteer and join the Neighborhood Watch Group official committee. Be part of this volunteer group and help out your community and protect your home and your neighbor's. It is easy and rewarding work that will keep you informed.

To sign-up, send an e-mail to stamfordcw@gmail.com with your name, contact number and how you would like to volunteer by Jan. 4, 2010.

We are forming an official volunteer committee. We will meet to construct our basic organization before our next scheduled open Community Watch meeting on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. at Stamford (Vt.) School.

Question: What do I need to do as a Neighborhood Crime Watch volunteer?

Volunteers help set meeting dates/locations and attend community and committee meetings, promote meetings and raise awareness, make and distribute fliers, sign-up for e-mail alerts, organize meetings and set the agenda, contribute ideas for the group's success, type minutes, organize refreshments/food, help design Web site sections and additions, come to meetings early to set up chairs and tables, etc.

Sign-up to do as much or as little as you can. We appreciate any and all residents who are willing to help.

Want to know about the latest break-in/burglary in your town? Come to the meeting. Find us out on Facebook at Stamford Vermont Crime Watch (which includes Clarksburg news).

We held our second Stamford/Clarksburg Crime Watch meeting. Clarksburg Police Chief Michael Williams addressed the group of 20 serious and committed residents. Great information was given out about the latest confirmed break-in/burglary on East Road in Clarksburg that occurred yesterday (Friday, Dec. 11).

Members are getting more organized and the next Community Watch meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. at the Stamford, Vt.) School. We expect a big turnout at the next meeting, because attendees said they were committed to making their community aware and getting involved. Signs will be posted at Billmont's Country Store in Stamford and the Clarksburg Town Hall. All newspapers will be contacted as well as all the schools.

The meeting agenda included a review of key points raised at the first meeting; a handout on how to form a neighborhood watch; a request for volunteers; information on a reward related to a Clarksburg break-in and a handout on suspicious behavior and activity; and an update on the new Web site, www.TownCrimeWatch.com, from which 10 e-mail alerts have been sent since the first meeting.

Volunteers are needed to help set meeting dates/locations and attend, promote meetings and raise awareness, make and distribute fliers, sign-ups for email alerts, organize meetings and set the agenda, contribute to ideas for the group's success, type minutes and organize refreshments.

To report information, leads and tips to police, contact the non-emergency numbers:

Vermont State Police: 802-442-5421

Clarksburg Police: 413-663-7795

Editor: Meeting attendees are welcome to share what they learned by posting below. We've also been told, unofficially, that a break-in occurred in the town of Florida two weeks ago. Thanks to the Crime Watch for helping us keep everyone updated.

The Clarksburg Crime Watch wants to catch a thief and is putting up $1,000 reward to find him or her.

The town was hit by a half-dozen burglaries from September to the beginning of November; most are believed to be the work of Stefan Veremko, a Pittsfield man charged recently in connection of string break-ins running from Southern Vermont to South County.

A number of Clarksburg residents, however, are convinced Veremko wasn't working alone or that a second burglar was working the same territory. Several members of the crime watch, who want to remain anonymous, are offering the reward in hopes of catching the person or persons - and returning residents' peace of mind.

The reward will be given to anyone who comes forward with information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons responsible for committing the recent break-in and burglary crimes, particularly one on Mountain View Drive that occurred on the afternoon of Oct. 31.

Residents are asked to call 413-663-7795 with any information they can provide to solve the remaining break-in case (possibly cases) not solved.

In order to claim the reward, you must (1) provide information to the law-enforcement agency that leads to the arrest and conviction of the party responsible for the crime and (2) submit a claim for a reward to Police Chief Michael Williams, who will contact the community watch members on your behalf.

In the event that two or more individuals provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for said crimes, the reward will be apportioned between them as determined appropriate by the watch group. The reward expires on Oct. 31, 2010.

"The Clarksburg Community Watch extends its deepest appreciation to those community members and individuals who have offered this reward. We encourage people to come forward with any information. Please help your community!"

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A Pittsfield man reportedly tossed into the air by a moving vehicle on Thursday afternoon fled the scene to hide out in a nearby basement, stopping first to provision himself with the homeowner's iPod, cell phone and beer, said police.

Mahadi S. Thompson, 28, of Peck's Road was charged with single counts each of breaking and entering in the daytime and larceny from a building. He was released on personal recognizance.

Thompson "was less than cooperative with police regarding the motor vehicle incident," according to police; the vehicle and driver involved have not been identified.

A motorist westbound on Green River Road saw a man believed to be Thompson struck or thrown from a vehicle at about 2 p.m. near the Hopper Road intersection. She called 911 to report seeing a man "fly through the air" and apparently knocked out of his shoes, which were lying in the middle of the road.

The victim, described as black and wearing a sweat shirt, ran up to her car and asked for a ride to the hospital. When the motorist told him she was calling 911, the victim ran up the road and then through a yard and disappeared behind some nearby homes, said police.

Police responding to the scene were told by several homeowners they'd seen a man matching the victim's description run through their yards. After a brief search failed to turn up the victim, the town's K-9 Unit (Blue the bloodhound and Officer Michael Ziemba) were called in.

Blue used the scent from the shoes to track the victim from behind the homes and back out to the road, where a man's tracks could be seen in the mud. A resident of a home close by said a family member had just returned home to discover a cottage on the property locked up. The cottage had been left unlocked when the family member had left a few hours before.

Police said Thompson was found in a basement closet, along with iPod and cell phone taken from the family's personal effects as well as a beer from the refrigerator.

He was treated by Village Ambulance personnel and taken to North Adams Regional Hospital for injuries sustained in the accident.